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Air line filters-- difference between 'separating' and 'coalescing'?
- Thread starter larryq
- Start date
AmickRacing
Well-known member
A filter will filter debris out of the air line. Mill scale, sand, pieces of solder, small barn yard animals, etc.
A coalescing filter is a finer filter, and will filter out finer particles, including liquids like oil from the compressor, and water vapor. Not all of the water of course, you need a drier or descant for that, but it'll sure help with the bigger water drops. I believe the coalescing filters generally have some sort of "vane" to make the air move around and help make the debris and liquids fall out better than a regular filter.
A coalescing filter is a finer filter, and will filter out finer particles, including liquids like oil from the compressor, and water vapor. Not all of the water of course, you need a drier or descant for that, but it'll sure help with the bigger water drops. I believe the coalescing filters generally have some sort of "vane" to make the air move around and help make the debris and liquids fall out better than a regular filter.
JustBob
Well-known member
I see those distinctions when looking at air line filters and am not sure what the difference is?
A compressed air water/oil seperator removes the water/oil form the air stream. A coalescing filter is a seperator.
A coalescing filters main function is to remove water and oil aerosols by coalescing the aerosols into droplets. This happens partially because of torturous path and pressure drop. Coalescers remove both water and oil aerosols from the air stream. It is important to realize that a coalescer is excellent at removing aerosols and liquids but not vapors.
To remove vapors, you either have to filter them out with an absorbent filter or condesnse them out of the air stream(from a gas to a solid) so that a coalescing filter can remove them.
Basically, any filter that removes oil / water from the compressed air is a seperator, coalescing just tells you how it is removing it.
Coalescing filter - removes aerosols of water and oil.
Absorbent filter - removes water and oil vapor
Particulate filter - removes particulates such as dirt, dust, metal flakes and other solid matter.
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
I did not see this thread earlier. The best read I have found on air systems and description of components and they function and operation is by Wilkerson.
http://www.wilkersoncorp.com/9EM-TK-190/9EM-Intro-Technical.pdf
Charles
http://www.wilkersoncorp.com/9EM-TK-190/9EM-Intro-Technical.pdf
Charles